Articulated lifter



June 6, 1961 L. G. KAPLAN ETAL 2,987,339

ARTICULATED LIFTER Filed Jan. 27, 1960 a Sheets-Sheet 1 llllllrINVENTORS Lows G-KAPLAN Dommm .Mono

June 6, 1961 L. G. KAPLAN ETAL 2,987,339

ARTICULATED LIFTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1960 S m w m m LOUISG. KAPLAN Dommm J. Mono June 6, 1961 Filed Jan. 27, 1960 L. G. KAPLANETAL 2,987,339

ARTICULATED LIFTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 uvmvrons Louls G. KAPLAN BY DOMINIKJ.Moao

United States latent Oflice 2,987,339 Patented June 6, 1961 2,987,339ARTICULATED LIFTER Louis G. Kaplan, 'Evanston, and Dominik J. Moro,Villa Park, Ill., assignors to Cullen-Friestedt Company, -Chicago, Ill.,a corporation oflllinois Filed Jan. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 4,999 '5 Claims.'(Cl. 294-67) The present invention relates to lifting and transportingmechanism and has particular reference to an articulated lifter capableof use in lifting and transporting either one or two objects withoutrequiring any adjustment or modification whatsoever of the mechanism inadapting the same to either its single or double use.

The improved lifting and transporting mechanism comprising the presentinvention has been designed for use primarily in connection with thelifting and transportation of sheet metal stock in coil form. Coils ofthe type with which the lifter mechanism of the present invention isconcerned consist of elongated strips or sheets of sheet metal stockwound in convolute fashion to produce a series of continuous laminationsand produce, in the final shape of each coil, a generally tubularintegral laminated spool-like structure, the innermost convolutions ofwhich define a central ibore through the spool.

'The handling of sheet metal coils of the character set forth .above,either at the steel mill for loading purposes, .or at .a consumerlocation where the coils are distributed through the plant for unwinding=at punch presses, for example, presents a problem due to the relativelygreat mass and weight of these coils, as well as due to the fact thattheir cylindrical shape makes them awkward to handle. Although specialup-ending coil handling mechanism has been designed which is capable ofreceiving .a .coil in one position and depositing the same in adifferent position at another remote location, an extremely simple andeffective type of non-upending coil lifter which is widely in use isknown as a C-hook lifter. Such a lifter consists essentially of a O-shaped structure having its upper and lower legs horizontally and inparallelism and having a' connecting bight portion extending vertically.The upp r overlying. leg is provided with an eye which sometimes is inthe form of a hole through the leg, and sometimes is in the form of ahail, the eye being so disposed that when the lifting hook of anoverhead crane is passed therethrough and the entire C-hook lifterelevated, the mechanism will assume a degree of stable equilibrium withthe lower leg extending parallel to the floor or other supportingsurface. The crane may be manipulated to cause the lower leg of theC-hook to become aligned with and enter the bore of a given coilpositioned horizontally on the supporting surface, after which verticaldisplacement of the c-hook up a dly i l serve to lift th il f om theupporting surface and cause the coil to be suspended from the lower legwith the axis of the coil remaining substantially horizontal and withoutcausing appreciable tilting f' e Q kr L ft rs of th g ne a typ r cei ethe il in a ho zo a p sit and d p i t e ame in such horizontal positionwith no provision being made for ipn ng he co s.

In an efiort to accommodate the simultaneous lifting and transportationof two similar relatively massive coils, dual Q-hook-coil lifters-havebeen devised. These lifters consist essentially of two. parallelfi-hooks rigidly connected together by one or more connecting bars orstruts including an upp r strut which extends between the medi-v alregions of the top legs. of the two C-hooks and: which itself isprovided with a medial eye designed. for re ception of the lifting hookof the overhead crane. While such compound structures serve, efiicientlyin the lifting;- and transportation of two coils of substantially equalsize and weight, they are not readily adaptable for use in the liftingand transportation of a single coil due to the fact that the weight of asingle coil thereon will cause tilting of the structure when it iselevated by the crane hook from the supporting surface. With thecage-like structure thus displaced from its normal horizontal position,the vertical center line of the crane hook will be displaced laterallyfrom the vertical plane extending through the longitudinal axis of thecoil so that it is difficult for the crane operator correctly to judgedistances in placing the coil and, furthermore, the angular position ofthe structure as a whole, when the single coil is supported thereby, issuch that interference is frequently ofiered by adjacent objects so thatit is impossible, for example, to deposit the coil on the supportingsurface in close proximity to a wall or to a tall object.

Another limitation that is attendant upon the construction and use ofconventional dual C-hook lifters resides in the fact that suchstructures will become unbalanced when employed for lifting andtransporting tWo coils which vary appreciably in weight, the heavier ofthe two coils presenting an unbalanced weight on one side of thestructure tending to elevate the other coil and, in so elevating it,moving it to an undesirable position of wide lateral displacement whichrenders handling of the lifter by the crane operator awkward.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-notedlimitations that are attendant upon the construction and use of presentday single and dual C-hook lifters and, toward this end, it contemplatesthe provision of a novel form of lifter construction embodying twoC-hooks, each capable of supporting a coil, and with the C-hooks beingoperatively connected together by articulated joints which operate, whena single coil'is operatively supported by the structure, to maintain theaxis of the crane lifting hook vertically centered above the C-hook onwhich the coil is carried, regardless of which of the two C-hooks isemployed for lifting purposes.

The provision of a dual C-hook lifter of the character briefly outlinedabove being among the principal objects of the invention, it is afurther object of the invention to provide such a lifter which, when asingle coil is supported thereby, consumes a minimum of free space andhas a relatively narrow lateral spread so that there will be minimuminterference with adjacent objects during crane manipulation.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a dual O-hooklifter which is completely automatic in its operation, which is to saythat the articulated joints thereof automatically adjust themselves toany given load without requiring manual presetting of the parts or anysort of attention whatsoever on the part of an operator except for theusual floor guidance of the device as a whole. Stated in other words, itis an object of the invention to provide an articulated dual C-hooklifter which may be applied to a single load or to a dual load withoutrequiring manual adjustment, the application thereto of adapter parts,the removal therefrom of such parts, or any other attention whatsoeveron the part of a floor operator other than the usual guidance of thedevice into loading position.

A similar and related object is to provide such a device which, whenemployed for lifting and transporting a single coil or other load, will,after lifting operations have commenced, automatically assume itsposition of maximum lifting effectiveness wherein the vertical axis ofthe crane lifting hook is coincident with the center of gravity of thecoil and lifter.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide a dual0-hook lifting device capable of handling two coils or other loads ofunequal weight and which,

when such unequal loads are operatively supported by the device, willautomatically assume a position wherein the center of gravity of theentire structure, including both the load and the elements of the lifterdevice, lies directly beneath and in the vertical plane of the liftinghook of the overhead crane hoist.

The provision of a coil lifting device of this character which isextremely simple in its construction, one which is comprised of aminimum number of parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out oforder; one which is rugged and durable and which therefore willwithstand rough usage; one which employs no intricate or specialmachined parts and which may therefore be manufactured at a relativelylow cost; and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform theservices required of it are further desirable features which have beenborne in mind in the production and development of the presentinvention.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more readilyapparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying three sheets of drawings forming a part ofthis specification.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an articulated lifter assemblyconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionand showing the same operatively suspended from an overhead hoistingcrane;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the lifter assembly shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the lifter assemy; a a

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the lifter assembly;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 2, showing theposition of the lifter assembly when the same is employed in connectionwith the lifting and transportation of a single, load;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially the line 88 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in partic lar to FIG. 1, anarticulated lifter assembly constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention has been designated in its entiretyat 10. The lifter dis-1 closed herein constitutes a preferred form orembodialong tions 20 of the sheet metal, and the mandrel subsement ofthe invention. It is adapted to be attached to and used in connectionwith the lifting hook 11 associated with the crane of an overhead hoist.If desired, a power swivel 12 having a hook 14 may be interposed betweenthe lifting hook 11 and the lifter 10. The lifter constitutes a mediumor instruinentality for handling laminated sheet metal coils, such asthe coils shown at 116 and 18 in dotted lines, in moving the coils fromone location to another. As shown in FIG. 2, the lifter assembly 10 iscapable of lifting, supporting and transporting a pair of coils, or, asshown in FIG. 6, the assembly may be employed for lifting, supportingand transporting a single coil. The necessary transition of thearticulated lifter assembly to adapt the same to either a single oradual load, as exemplified in FIGS. 2 and 6 respectively, takes placeautomatically, Without requiring adjustment or other attention on thepart of a floor operator upon initial application of thelifte r to itsload and the application to the load of a lifting force, all in a mannerthatwill become clear presently as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood. I

The coils 16 and 18 are of conventional design and in the environment ofthe lifter assembly shown herein these coils are equal in size andweight. Each coil consists of a single unitary elongated strip of flatsheet metal stock which has been wound in convolute fashion on a mandrelto produce a series of adjacent convoluquently withdrawn so that aspool-like article having a central bore 22 extending therethrough andpresenting a substantially cylindrical outer surface 24 and substantially flat end faces 26 is produced. The coils 16 and 18 are relativelyheavy and may weigh as much as 90,000 pounds, and thus the lifterassembly 10 is, of necessity, relatively massive. The assembly 10 hasbeen designed primarily for transporting one or two such coils at a timefrom one location to another with the lifter receiving the coils in ahorizontal position and depositing the same in a similar positionwherein the cylindrical surface 24 rests tangentially on the supportingsurface at the time the coil is released.

The lifter 10 involves in its general organization a pair of speciallyconstructed modified G-hooks 30 and 32 respectively, the two C-hooksbeing substantially identical in construction. Each C-hook is'in theform of a plate having an upper horizontalleg 34, a lower horizontal leg36 extending parallel to the leg 34, and a connecting vertical bightportion 38. Each C-hook is substantially flat, which is to say that itis relatively. thin in transverse cross section with the two legs andconnecting bight portion lying in the. same vertical plane.

The medial regions of the bight portions 38 of the two C-hooks 30-and 32are connected together by means of a transverse connectinglink 40, thelatter being of a composite nature as will be described presently.Similarly the medial regions of the upper horizontal legs of the twoC-hooks are connected together by a transverse suspension link 42 andthe latter link is capable of being supported medially of its ends fromthe lifting hook 14 of the overhead hoist 12 by means of a bail 44.

The connecting link 40 is of composite design and it is in the form ofan elongated hollow tubular box-like structure including spaced verticalside plates 46 and spaced upper and lower horizontal plates 48 havingtheir side edges welded to the inside faces of the vertical plates 46.At the'ends of the box-like structure, the plates 46 extend beyond theends of the plates 48 and are welded to solid attachment ears 50 whichare square in transverse cross sectionas best seen in FIG. 6. Eachattachment ear is formed with a horizontal bore 52 therethrough, thefunction of which will appear presently.

Secured to and spaced from the rear end face of the bight portion 38 ofeach C-hook is an elongated vertical plate 54,'a series of spacermembers 56 being welded at their ends to the C-hook and plate 54respectively to maintain the plate in its spaced relationship. A pivotpin 58 having its enlarged head 60 seated within a countersunk recess62provided in the outside face of the plate 54 extends through the plateand through the bore 52 and is secured in operative position by means ofa cotter pin 64 which extends through an anchor plate 66-, and the pivotpin 58. A bushing 68 surrounds the pin 58 within the bore 52. The anchorplate 66 is welded to the rear face of the bight portion 38 of theC-hook. The arrangement of parts just described at each end of thecomposite link 40 serves as a strong and efiective pivotal connectionbetween the link and the two C-hooks 30 I and 32 to which the link isattached.

The transverse suspension 42 is in the form of an elongated memberhaving downturned attachment ears 70 at its ends. Each attachment ear 70extends between a pair of spaced attachment plates 72 which are weldedto the upper horizontal leg 34 of one of theC-hooks 30 or 32 as the casemaybe and which project a slight distance thereabove. A pivot pinassembly including the pin proper 74, washers 76 and bushings 78 servesto pivotally connect the ends of the transverse suspension link 42 totheplates 72 and consequently to the C-hooks.

The medial region of the transverse suspension link 42 is formed with anupwardly projecting suspension ear 80 which is reinforced by theprovision of two side plates 82 which are welded thereto. A pin 84extends through threadedly received, on an end. of the pin. A cottecpin- 90 maintains the nut; 88 against turningrelative to the The distalend' of the upperhorizontal leg'34 of each C-hook has mounted thereon acounterweight assembly 92, such assembly consisting of a plurality ofthick plates 94 secured together by bolts 26 with the entire assemblybeing welded to thedistal end face of-theleg 34. The two counterweightassemblies. serve to: compensate for the normally. unbalanced. weight.of the" relatively massive bight portions 38 of the C-hooks.

In the operation of the herein described articulated lifter assembly,assuming for example that it is desired to transport two coils 16 and 18of equal weight from one location to another by means of the overheadhoist, the coils are positioned on the supporting surface with theiraxes extending horizontally and in parallelism and spaced apart adistance substantially equal to the spacing of the two C-hooks 30 and32. The crane operator may then elevate the lifter mechanism 10 from thesupporting surface a slight distance and with or without floorassistance, guide the lower legs 36 of the C-hooks into the bores 22 ofthe respective coils. Thereafter, upon elevating the structure 10, thecoils will be picked up by the C-hooks and supported on the upper edgesof the legs 36. It is to be noted at this point that the upper edges 100of the legs 36 are arcuate in cross section so as to make a blunt bandof contact with the bores of the coils. Since the coils are of equalweight, and since the articulated lifter mechanism is balanced onopposite sides of the lifting bail 44, the structure will assume thelevel position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 with both coils beingsupported at the same general elevation above the supporting surface.Deposition of the two coils at any desired location may be effected bythe crane operator by a reversal of the operations just described.

When it is desired to lift and transport a single coil 18, from onelocation to another, the lower leg 36 of either C-hook 30 or 32 may bepassed through the horizontally disposed coil bore 22 in the mannerpreviously described with the structure 10 as a whole assuming thehorizontal position in which it is illustrated in FIG. 1. Thereafter,upon elevation of the structure 10 by the crane operator, the weight ofthe coil 18 will initially restrain the C-hook which has thus beenprojected into the bore '22 and prevent the same from immediately risingfrom the supporting surface. As the lifting book 14 continues to rise,the various elements of the articulated structure, including the upperand lower connecting link members 42 and 40, and the upper horizontallegs 34 of the two C-hooks 30 and 32 respectively, together withapproximately onehalf of the two vertical bight portions 38, willfunction in the manner of an articulated parallelogram so that the linkmembers 42 and 40 will move into positions of close proximity to eachother as shown in FIG. 6 with the axis of the lifting hook and of thebail 44 moving into the vertical plane of the axis of the coil 18. Thus,the center of gravity of the structure 10 with the coil 18 supportedthereon will lie directly beneath the point of ap plication of liftingtension. Furthermore, in this position of the parts, the liftermechanism 10 as a whole occupies but very little lateral space and, infact, but little more lateral space than that occupied by the coilitself, so that considerable freedom of movement of the lifter in closequarters is made possible.

The lifter mechanism described above is self-equalizing, which is to saythat in the event that two coils of unequal weight are positioned on thetwo C-hooks 30 and 32 respectively, the center of gravity of the lifterwith the coils thereon will assume a position directly beneath thelifting hook 14 of the hoist 12.

While one specific embodiment of the improved artic ulated; dual:G-hook: mechanism of the present invention has been shown and describedherein for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that theillustrated form of theinvention does not by'any means indicate allthedifferent forms of apparatus suitable for the functions intended; theform illustrated being only one of those which have been developed. forcommercial application. The invention therefore is; notto be limited tothe exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings. ordescribed in this specification and various changes in; the details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention. Only insofar as the invention; has particularly been pointedout in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an articulated lifter of the character described, in combination,a pair of C-hooks each having an upper horizontal leg, a lowerhorizontal leg and a vertical connecting bight portion, a lowerhorizontal connecting link pivoted at its opposite ends to said C-hooksrespectively at corresponding elevations thereon, a transversesuspension link pivoted at its opposite ends to said C-hooksrespectively at corresponding elevations thereon above the elevations atwhich said connecting link is pivoted, said connecting link and saidsuspension link, in combination with portions of the O-hooks, providingin effect an articulate collapsible parallelogram structure, and alifting bail pivotally connected to said transverse suspension linksubstantially midway between the ends of the latter and designed forlifting engagement with the lifting hook of an overhead hoist.

2. In an articulated lifter of the character described, in combination,a pair of substantially parallel C-hooks each having an upper horizontalleg, a lower horizontal leg, and a connecting bight portion, atransverse con necting link pivoted at its opposite ends to the bightportions of said C-hooks respectively and at corresponding elevationsthereon, a transverse suspension link pivoted at its opposite ends tothe upper horizontal legs of said C-hooks respectively, said suspensionlink and said connecting link, in combination with an adjoining portionof each bight portion, providing in effect an articulate collapsibleparallelogram structure, the plane of which extends at a right angle tothe planes of said C-hooks, and a lifting bail pivotally connected tosaid transverse suspension link substantially at the midpoint thereofand designed for lifting engagement with the lifting hook of an overheadhoist.

3. In an articulated lifter of the character described, in combination,a pair of substantially parallel C-hooks each having an upper horizontalleg, a lower horizontal leg, and a connecting bight portion, atransverse connecting link pivoted at its opposite ends to the bightportions of said C-hooks respectively and at corresponding elevationsthereon, a transverse suspension link pivoted at its opposite ends tothe upper horizontal legs of said C-hooks respectively, said suspensionlink and said connecting link, in combination with an adjoining portionof each bight portion, providing in efiect an articulate collapsibleparallelogram structure, the plane of which extends at a right angle tothe planes of said C-hooks, and a lifting bail pivotally connected tosaid transverse suspension link and designed for lifting engagement withthe lifting hook of an overhead hoist, said lifting bail being pivotedto the transverse suspension link at a point which lies directly abovethe center of gravity of the lifter as a whole and at a point above thecenter of gravity of the suspension link.

4. In an articulated lifter of the character described, the combinationset forth in claim 3 wherein said connecting link is pivoted to saidbight portions of the respective C-hooks at points which aresubstantially midway in combination, a pair of C-hooks each having anupper horizontal leg, a lower horizontal leg, and a connecting bightportion, a transverse connecting link pivoted at its opposite ends tothe bight portions of said O-hooks respectively and at correspondingelevations thereon, a transverse suspension link pivoted at its oppositeends to the upper horizontal legs of said C-hooks respectively, saidsuspension link and said connecting link, in combination with anadjoining portion of each bight portion, 1

providing in effect an articulate collapsible parallelogram structure,the plane ofwhich extends at a right'angle to the planes of saidC-hooks, and means on said transverse suspension link midway between theends of the link and above the center of gravity of the latter afiordinga downwardly facing shoulder for receiving the upward thrust of thelifting hook of an overhead hoist.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,541,090 Yunkes June 9, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,102,250 France May 4,1955- 791,430 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1958

